


To Love Another Person

by demeritus



Category: Arthurian Mythology
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-01
Updated: 2020-06-01
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:54:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,473
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24486985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demeritus/pseuds/demeritus
Summary: Percival is from the woods, and Galahad...definitely isn't.
Relationships: Galahad/Percival (Arthurian)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 13





	To Love Another Person

**Author's Note:**

  * For [WeCouldPretend](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WeCouldPretend/gifts).



Late summer filled the air as the afternoon wore on and knights and squires alike, dripping in their practice gear, left the field in exhausted relief. Galahad and Percival, the only ones who dare face each other even in camaraderie, unarmed and bantered with the rest until most of them left to prepare for supper.

They both let down their hair and Percival noted with mild sorrow that the bells were ringing for vespers. Galahad stroked Percival’s long, dark hair of Percival buttoned his boots.

“I will see you at supper later?” Galahad asked, comfortable speaking so intimately when they were left alone.

Percival rose and faced Galahad, still blushing from the heat.

“I’m going on a walk tonight, so I won’t be back until late,” he said with regret.

“I do wonder what you do when you go on your walks,” Galahad said, probing but affectionate. “I’ve never seen you around the grounds when you’re out there.”

“If you want to know...you could come with me this time,” Percival said, smiling brightly. “The light right now is perfect for illuminating the forest floor.”

“I should pray first…”

“I’ll join you then, and we can leave after!”

Percival followed Galahad to the chapel and kneeled next to him near the back, though there were so few others they would have had no trouble elsewhere.

The priest sang hymns he did not know and spoke prayers he had never heard, so Percival stayed as quiet as Galahad, though when the priest raised his arms Galahad answered him with such quiet confidence, impeded only by Percival’s hands as they worked through his hair. Positioning himself so that (he hoped) he was hidden behind the larger churchgoers in front of them, Percival leaned close to Galahad and went about plaiting his hair. He was sure not to pull at it, but his golden locks were smooth even amidst tangles. Galahad gave him a sideways look when Percival had started, but Percival merely put a finger to his lip and smiled conspiratorially. Galahad smiled back and raised his head from its bow so that Percival could reach the other side of his head. By the time the service was over, a tight rope of braid draped down Galahad’s back and he awkwardly tucked stray hairs behind his ears.

Percival was the first to stand, so he offered a hand to Galahad, and he let Percival help him up from the ground. A slow walker still leaving the sanctuary gave them a strange look, so Percival shook Galahad’s hand a bit forcefully.

“Um. Peace be with you…?” Percival said loudly. 

“And also with you!” Galahad held back a laugh.

Percival stopped by the armory for a spear, then led Galahad out of the castle, past the surrounding city and into the woods. They didn’t stop until they could no longer see the city walls, and Percival was talking the whole way.

“The castle is so boring sometimes,” Percival mused as he walked alongside Galahad, their hands entwined. “It’s far too quiet and you just can’t...can’t feel anything.”

Galahad started by watching what was in front of him, more for safety than curiosity, but Percival started pointing at things on the ground and once each new plant stuck in his mind, he couldn’t help but notice it everywhere. Soon he was so enamored with his surroundings that he didn’t notice when Percival stopped abruptly, until he felt his hand slip away from Percival’s.

Galahad looked back and saw Percival, stood completely still and silent. He stared forward, but there was an intensity to his gaze. Galahad followed his eyeline, and as soon as he heard rustling up ahead, Percival started slowly stalking forward. A small deer jumped out of a patch of bushes and sprinted away from them.

Galahad could barely keep up as Percival nearly matched the deer’s speed in pursuit. Eventually, Percival stopped and deliberately collapsed on the ground. Galahad joined him on the ground, quickly catching his breath.

“Is that really how you hunt?” Galahad asked, chuckling.

“Not always! Not when I actually expect to catch something.” Percival laughed along as he sat up.

Galahad gazed at Percival - his red face, his bright green eyes, his long hair now messy and filled with leaves and sticks from the forest floor. He smiled as he realized that the glow coming off him wasn’t only from the sun.

“You’re... beautiful. Do you mind if I say that?” Galahad said, quiet, unsure.

Percival smiled as his already-red face blushed even brighter. Before he could reply, something behind them caught his attention.

“Oh, yes!” Percival exclaimed, diving forward and toward a small bush. Galahad almost had to jump out of his way. He watched in confusion as Percival stood and started combing his fingers through the bush. Soon, his cupped hand was filled with small, dark blue berries. He held them out to Galahad.

“Are you sure these are safe to eat?” Galahad asked, taking them nervously.

“Of course,” Percival said as he retrieved more berries and stuffed a handful into his mouth. “I picked these all the time growing up. They’re delicious!”

Apparently without thinking, Percival turned the front of his tunic into a basket and filled it with the berries. They settled in a patch of soft grass and Percival dumped the berries on the ground. Galahad leaned against a tree; he had left his handful of berries with the rest, so he leaned forward to try one.

“You’ll need more than that to really get the flavor.” Percival gave him another handful, and an encouraging smile.

Galahad looked at Percival’s purple-stained hands, closed his eyes, and ate the berries. His eyes shot open immediately and he put his hand over his mouth, but finished them off.

“I didn’t expect them to be so sweet!” He reached for more, a smaller amount this time. “They taste a bit like figs...much better though.”

They picked at the pile of berries until most of them were gone - Percival insisted they leave some for the animals.

“It’s the least I can do for that deer I terrorized earlier,” Percival said, with a small laugh.

The sun was still bright in the sky, but it’s descent in the west started to dim everything below the forest’s canopy.

“If I may ask…” Galahad began hesitantly. Percival tilted his head and smiled. “How are you so comfortable in the wild? I’ve only ever heard stories of, well, you know what they say of beasts that dwell in these places.”

“I was thinking something similar earlier,” Percival said kindly. “In church. You know exactly what to say, when to stand and when to kneel, you probably know every word they’re saying in that strange language. And that’s how you feel close to God right?”

Galahad hesitated at the question, but nodded.

“The woods are my “church,” in a way,” Percival said. “I don’t know how to explain it...but I feel closer to God out here. And - “

He stopped himself, suddenly overly conscious of his words.

“I feel closer to you out here as well. Even you - you seem so much more...honest. Not that you’re normally a liar! But I’ve never seen you smile so often. You’re not as confident as you usually are - and that’s okay. It helps me remember you’re human too.”

Percival shifted so he was sitting next to Galahad and placed an arm around his shoulders. Galahad leaned into Percival’s touch, his head cradled into Percival’s neck. Percival reached forward for a few more berries and popped them into Galahad’s mouth, to his surprised delight.

Galahad moved out of Percival’s embrace only to take both of the other man’s hands in his.

“Maybe it’s the woods...it’s you too, though.” Galahad said, trying his best to look Percival in the eyes. “I can relax when we’re together. You don’t expect anything from me but, but _me_. I might know every verse and every psalm for every day of the week, but - those aren’t my words. With you, I can use _my_ words, and you forgive how unpracticed they are.”

Percival stroked Galahad knuckles and leaned forward to press his forehead against Galahad’s. They were so close they could smell sweetness from the berries on each other’s breath.

“I’m glad I can be that for you,” Percival said. “A...sanctuary, kind of.”

“Yeah,” Galahad breathed out a comfortable sigh. “When we’re together, it’s like I can see the face of God. And yours is just as radiant.”

They laid together in the grass until the sun was fully set, finishing off most of the berries. So far from anyone, they could see stars beyond the forest’s thick canopy, so they spent the evening tracing patterns, naming their own constellations, before strolling back to the castle, hand in hand.

**Author's Note:**

> The Les Miserables reference just kind of...happened on its own, but the title of this piece is one of my favorite lines from the musical.


End file.
